The 23rd Session of the International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange Committee (IODE-XXIII) was held in Bruges, Belgium during 16-20 March 2015. Dr Christos Arvanitidis participated in this meeting as the ADU contact point for the MedOBIS vLab currently developed under the LifeWatchGreece project.

The programme "International Oceanographic Data and Information Exchange" (IODE) of the "Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission" (IOC) of UNESCO was established in 1961. Its purpose is to enhance marine research, exploitation and development, by facilitating the exchange of oceanographic data and information between participating Member States, and by meeting the needs of users for data and information products.